Brassiere construction



H. BARG BRASSIERE CONSTRUCTION 'Filed May 20, 1954 Feb. 21, 1956 UnitedStates Patent BRASSIERE CONSTRUCTION Herbert Barg, Merion, Pa., assignorto True Form Corset Company, Inc., Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation ofPennsylvania Application May 20, 1954, Serial No. 431,242

3 Claims. (Cl. 2-42) The present invention relates to a novelconstruction for brassieres and has particular application to brassieresof the strapless type.

The prior brassieres of this character are characterized by upstandingstays positioned at opposite sides of the breast cups of the brassiere.The conventional stays or stilening elements must be exed or bent toconform to the body of the wearer and frequently have a tendency topress into the flesh of the person wearing the brassiere and causediscomfort. Another disadvantage of the conventional strapless brassiereconstruction is that the stiffening elements of the brassiere whichserve to retain it in proper position on the body render it difiicult toprovide proper breast cup separation in the brassiere construction. Thismakes the brassiere un comfortable for the women having a ligure whichrequires wide breast cup separation. In addition, with the increasinguse of low-cut strapless gowns and off-theshoulder gowns, it isdesirable to have the breast cups sufficiently spaced apart to enablethe wearer to use a low-cut V-neck.

With the foregoing in mind, a primary object of the present invention isto provide a novel brassiere construction which affords proper breastcup separation and yet is suciently reinforced to support the brassiereindependently of straps and the like.

Another object of the present invention is to provide supporting staysor stiffening elements for strapless brassieres which lie in properposition to conform to the body contour of the person wearing thebrassiere.

These and other objects of the present invention and the variousfeatures and details of the construction and operation thereof are morefully set forth hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawingin which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a brassiere made in accordance with thepresent invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary rear view showing the particulararrangement of the innermost supporting stays;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2; and,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawing, the brassiere comprises a front bodyportion having side panel portions 11, 11 attached to the opposite sidesthereof. Secured to the free edges of the side portions 11, 11 areelastic back panel portions 12, 12 which are provided with fasteningelements 13 and 14 respectively for releasably securing together thefree edges of the back portion 12, 12 about the upper midrii of thewearer. In accordance with the usual practice, securing the fasteningelements 13 and 14 tensions the front body portion laterally across theupper midrii of the wearer and further exerts a lateral tension alongthe upper marginal portion of the front body portion 10 and the sidepanels 11, 11.

In accordance with the invention, stiffening elements are provided alongthe junctions of the back panel por tions and the side panels, and theside panels and the front l 2,735,101 Patented Feb. 21, 1956.

body portion. Further stiffening elements are provided in I the frontbody portioncrossing over the median line of the front body portion andextending along the inner edge of the breast cups of the front bodyportion.

As shown in Fig. 1, the front body portion is symmetrical about a medianline 20, and comprises lower panels 21, 21 terminating at their upperedges in breast` cups 22, 22. The breast cups 22, 22 are spaced apartatY opposite sides of the median line 20 and are connected by a centralweb 23. Stiffening elements 25, 25 are positioned centrally in the frontbody portion, and are arranged to cross over one another at a point 26along the median line 20 of the body portion 10. The lower terminal endof each stiifening element is secured adjacent the lower marginal edgeof the front body portion as indicated at 27, extends obliquelyupwardlyl through the point 26 along the inner edge of the breast cup22, and terminates at the upper marginal edge ofA the front body portionas indicated at 28. When the brassiere is positioned on the body of thewearer, the stiiening element 25 is held ush against the upper midrit ofthe wearer due to the securement thereof at the lower marginal edge 27and at the cross-over point 26.

The upper portion of the stilening element is capable of twisting aboutits axis and it also may be flexed 'in brassiere isA laterally tensionedabout the body of theA wearer.

Other stiifening elements 29, 29 are provided at the outer edge portionsof the front body portion at the junction thereof with the side panels11, 11. The elements 29, 29 are secured in the seam between the frontbody portion on the side panel and are adapted to liev flush against thebody of the wearer and when tensioned by the fastening means 13 and 14,to bow inwardly around the outer edge of the upper breast cup to providelateral support for the breast cups. Thus, the elements 25 and 29 rmlyembrace the breasts of the wearer and retain the brassiere in properposition thereon. Further stilfening elements 30, 30 are provided at thejunction of the side panels 11, 11 with the back panels 12,v 12 toprevent folding of these panels when the brassierer is positioned on thebody.

Thus, the present invention provides a brassiere having stiffeningelements which afford proper breast cup separation and which effectivelyconform to the body contour of the wearer of the brassiere. Thebrassiere thus gives proper support to the wearer and preventsdiscomfort normally caused in conventional brassieres by the stiieningelements pressing into the esh of the wearer.

While a particular embodiment of the present invention has beenillustrated and described herein, it is not intended to limit theinvention to such disclosure and changes and modifications may be madetherein and thereto within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

l. In a brassiere, a front body portion comprising lower panelsterminating at their upper edges in breast cups arranged in laterallyspaced relation with respect to each other at opposite sides of themedian line of the front body portion, and a pair of stitfening elementssecured to the front body portion along the length of the elements, saidstiiening elements crossing one over the other at a point along themedian line of said front body portion intermediate the upper and loweredges of 3 the lower panels and each extending from the lower marginaledge of the lower panels at one side of said median line obliquelyupward along the inner edge of the breest ebp at the opposite side ofseid medien line to the opperrnargiriel edge of seid iront bodyportieriJ and .Comprising resilient elongated members desti with thePlane of said body portion and flexible in one '.leterel direetiorisubstantially normal to seid pierre, substantially inflexible in elateral direetion witliiri the pierre of seid sections, and .Capable ofbeing twisted along the longitudinal to oonform to the curvature of thebody of the wearer of. the bressiere.

2 ln e 'brassiere e front body portion eornprising lower panelsterminating et their opper edges breast eens ,arranged irr laterallyspeeed reletionwitlt .respect to each other at opposite sides of themedien line ofthe front body portion? side panels eeell secured alongone side edge thereof to one side edge of seid body portieri, beekpartiel seetioos eeeh seeored to the otlrerside edge of side Darrel andhevirig fastening means .for releasably seedling together the free edgesof .seid beek panel seetiorisl e Pair of stiieoirig elements seedred tothe front body portions along the' length of the elements, seidstilleriigg Velements eressiirg one over the other et e point along tl'emedian line of seid front body portion intermediate the upper and loweredges of the lower panels and eeeli extending from the lower marginaledge et the lower panels at one side of said .median line obliquelyupward `along the irmer edge of the breast eup et the opposite eideoi.seid medien line to the upper marginal edg of said -front body panelsection, and other stiftenlernnts secured to and extending respectivelyfrom the lower marginal edge of the front body portion upwerdly sloegtbe iuoeture of said front body Portion and seid side panels, seidstiflening elements having their upper portions extending along theouter edges of the breast, ellos to the upper mergiriel edge ot theYfront body portion, each said 'stiiening' element comprising aresilient elongated member llosb with the plane of said regels antibodyportion end llexible. in orie lateral direetiod substantially riorrrielto seid plane, substantially intlexible e lateral direetiori witliin theplane of seid seetionsl, arid eepeble of being twisted .eloog itslongitudirlel to .eontorrri to the curvature of the body of the wearerof the brassiere.

3. In a brassiere, a front body portion comprising lower panelsterminating at their upper edges in breast cups arranged in laterally`spaced relation with respect to each other at opposite sides of themedian line of the front body portion, side panels each secured alongone side edge thereof to one side .edge of said body portion, baeltpanel seetions eaeli secured to the other side edge of one side paneland having'fastening means for releasably securing .together the treeedges of said beek perret sections, .a pair of stiiening elementssecured to `the front body portion along the length of the elements,said stiiieoing elements crossing one over the othery et e point alongthe median line of said front body portion intermediate the upper andlower edges .of the lower panels and each extending from the lowermarginal edge of the lower panels at one side of said median lineobliquely upward along the inner edge of the breast cup at the oppositeside of said median line to the upper marginal edge of said front bodyportion, other stiffening elements secured to and extending respectivelyfrom the lower marginal edge of the Ifront body portion upwardly alongthe juncture of said front bodyy portion 4and said side panels, saidstilening elements having their upper portions extending along the outeredges of the breast cups to the upper marginal edge of the front bodypanel portion, and still other stiffening elements secured to andextending respectively from the lower marginal edge of one side'panelupwardly valong the juncture of said side panel and the adjacent backpanel section to the upper marginal edge of said side panel, each saidstiffening element comprising a resilient elongated member ush with theplane of said body portion, panels and panel sections and flexible inone lateral direction substantially normal to said plane, substantiallyinexible in a lateral direction within the plane of said sections, andcapable of being twisted along its longitudinal axis to conform to thecurvature of the body of the wearer of the brassiere.

References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSWilliams l--e-,l--e-f-V---g Apr. ,28, 1.9.5.3.

